Land of the Red Fern Festival
by Dr. Phoenix
Summary: What if instead of being about two dogs, the classic story was about two college students? (It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I'm allowed to reference Tahlequah's university because I used to go there.)
1. Chapter 1

Anita adjusted the sunglasses over her gray eyes, brushing a strand of ginger hair back from her face as she stepped out of her cherry red hybrid Hyundai Sonata at the Tahlequah campus of Northeastern State University. She had made certain to choose the correct parking zone for her sticker, for the campus police were notorious for parking tickets. Locking her car, she shouldered her backpack and entered the library for some computer time before her first class.

Daniel, who was sipping coffee with his roommate at a table near the bookshelves, looked up as Anita stepped through the door. He was entranced by the gleam of the morning sun, which seemed to turn her hair to flame.

"Hey, Rubin! How'd I miss her?" he asked.

Rubin shrugged. "She's a transfer student, I guess. I know I haven't seen her before."

Daniel continued to stare at the beauty who logged on to the nearest computer and began checking her student email account.

"You gonna keep staring or put yourself out of your misery by talking to her?" Rubin asked.

Forgetting his coffee, Daniel took the chair at the computer beside Anita. "Hey."

She smiled warmly. "Good morning."

"You new around here?"

"I just graduated high school. Since I spent my senior year taking dual credit courses, I'm already a sophomore at university level. I should still be in high school right now, but I skipped a few grades." She continued to smile. "What about you?"

"I'm a sophomore too," he replied, "but I had to go through every grade, and I couldn't afford dual credit."

Anita shrugged. "It's not a race, you know."

"Are you going to movie night?"

"You're flirting with me."

Daniel frowned. "What makes you think…?"

"Your palms are sweaty, and you seem nervous. Besides, I saw you talking to your friend, quite possibly your roommate, before meandering over here."

He stared in awe. "You've got to be a genius!"

The young woman shrugged again. "Flirting with me is no good, you know. I mean, aren't you a little old, Dan? I am a few years younger than you are."

Daniel's eyes widened. "How did you know my name?"

"You left your student identification card face up on the table beside you. Your first name is Daniel. Thank goodness your surname isn't Tucker."

He chuckled slightly, remembering the song he had learned almost a decade ago at summer camp about a man by the name of "Old Dan Tucker."

"I'm afraid we aren't all as smart as Sherlock Holmes, so I don't know your name," Daniel stated.

"Anita."

If he remembered correctly, adding "-ita" was a diminutive in Spanish, sort of like "-ey" or "-ie" in English, so her name translated as "little Ann" or "Annie." Of course, she didn't seem to be from Spain or any Central or South American countries, so perhaps her name originated from a different language. What was it he had learned last semester in high school about European languages stemming from a common origin?

"What's your major?" Daniel queried. "Pre-med? Quantum physics?"

"Biology," she replied.

"Mine too, but I also have to take a few law classes."

"You want to be a game warden then?"

Daniel nodded. He was tired of asking Anita about her uncanny ability to figure out everything.

"I already know all there is to know about hunting and fishing," he stated. "I just need to know how to enforce the rules."

Anita flicked several strands of hair over her shoulder. "I would prefer to do a field study on _Procyon lotor_."

The young man frowned. "The raccoon? But why? I mean, they're so common! Why not the giant panda or the platypus or something super rare or really cool?"

"Don't you find them fascinating? They can adapt to almost any environment, even a domestic home. Professional biologists still debate over whether the raccoon's habit of dipping food in water is for the benefit of the animal's salivary glands or another cause. Furthermore, the raccoon is rather clever and uses various schemes to outwit opponents when being hunted; however, it is also capable of matching almost any North American animal, including hunting breeds of domestic dogs, in a fight."

Daniel nodded. "I guess I never thought about all that. To me, it's just another dead animal you see by the side of the road."

"If you wish to be a game warden in North America, you simply must educate yourself about the species who live here." Anita glanced at her watch. "Woodrow Wilson Rawls! I'm going to be late for my first class!"

"Advanced calculus?"

She shouldered her backpack. "Wildlife Principles with Professor Coleman."

Daniel smiled to himself as he returned to the table for his own backpack. His first class was with Professor Coleman as well. This might be the best day of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Dan! Your girlfriend's at the door!"

Daniel's face reddened. "She's not my girlfriend, Rubin!"

"Then what's her car doing here? And why's she coming up the sidewalk?"

Ignoring his roommate, Daniel hurried to the door, opening it just as Anita lifted her fist to knock.

"May I help you?" he asked.

"You left your wallet in Professor Coleman's class," she replied flatly. "I would have returned it to you sooner, but I had other courses."

Daniel took the wallet she held out. "Thanks for bringing it back. I nearly had a heart attack when I noticed it was missing."

"You should be more careful with your belongings, especially those containing your life savings and government issued identity." She sniffed the air in disapproval. "Is something burning?"

"Uh…me and Rubin…that is to say, Rubin and I…were just making dinner, but it doesn't seem to be going too well. I think we got the recipe wrong."

"Can I give you a hand?"

Unable to reply, Daniel stepped back. How could someone so beautiful be standing so close to him?

Anita opened the lid of the crockpot and shook her head. "I hope you're in the mood to order pizza."

"Actually, I was more in the mood for barbeque," Daniel responded, "but Rubin has a lot of homework, so he'll probably stay and wait for pizza. Could I offer you…?"

"You're flirting with me again. You find me attractive. You're impressed by my basic intelligence and my honesty in returning the wallet. Now you're asking me out for dinner."

Once again, Daniel found himself at a loss for words.

"Fortunately for you, I like Rib Crib. You can drive, but don't try anything stupid. I carry mace, and I know martial arts."

"Nothing stupid," he promised.

As his truck pulled out of the campus parking lot, Daniel once more found himself at a loss for words. What did a man say to a woman who would be fought over by men a thousand times better than he would ever be?

His thoughts were interrupted as a Mercury Cougar swerved into his lane at high speed in an attempt to pass another vehicle. To avoid a head-on collision, Daniel was forced to take the shoulder of the road.

"Stupid jerk!" he exclaimed. "Worst driver in Oklahoma, and that's really saying something!"

"I've seen that Cougar around too," Anita remarked. "The driver's always so…" She shook her head. "He ought to have his license taken away before he causes an accident!"

Daniel nodded. "That Cougar's going to get somebody killed one of these days!"


End file.
